


Spider's Web

by stilinskiandthewolf



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Family Feels, Happy Ending, M/M, Stilinski Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 12:17:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5127332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stilinskiandthewolf/pseuds/stilinskiandthewolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His dad spends his days dealing with the worst society has to offer, he doesn’t need to know that there’s even worse things out there, that the creatures Stiles and his friends encounter on a regular basis are the things nightmares are made of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spider's Web

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wednesdaythunder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wednesdaythunder/gifts).



It’s not like Stiles enjoys lying, especially not to his dad. He hates the hurt look his dad gets on his face when he tells him another lie; Stiles knows that his dad knows he isn’t telling the truth. What his dad doesn’t understand is that he isn’t lying to hurt him; he’s lying to protect him.

His dad spends his days dealing with the worst society has to offer, he doesn’t need to know that there’s even worse things out there, that the creatures Stiles and his friends encounter on a regular basis are the things nightmares are made of. His dad is all he has left. If anything was ever to happen to him Stiles doesn’t know what he would do so it’s best to keep his dad in the dark, where he’s safe.

But it’s getting harder and harder to keep the truth from his dad. There’s only so many times he can skip out on family dinners, blame the injuries and marks on his body on lacrosse, and talk his way out of trouble when he sneaks back into the house at 5am.

-

It’s Thursday night, his dad has been working double shifts and this is his first night off in over a week so Stiles decides to make dinner instead of ordering in like they usually do. Stiles hasn’t spent much time with he dad recently, a spate of animal killings in town led the pack to a Chupacabra that had set up home in the preserve then rouge omega came calling looking to challenge Scott. His dad never questioned his absence, he didn’t even question the black eye Stiles sported for over a week.

He makes his dad’s favourite, an old family recipe passed down by his grandmother. When his dad gets home he looks surprised to see Stiles in the kitchen but instead of saying anything he heads upstairs to shower and change. When he makes his way back into the kitchen its just a Stiles is serving up dinner. Stiles hands him a plate and they sit down to eat in silence.

“So,” his dad says cutting through the quiet. “I haven’t seen you very much lately.”

“Yeah, I’ve been busy- you know- homework.”

“Right. That school sure gives you a lot of homework.”

Stiles swallows hard, avoiding his dad’s eyes. “Yeah.”

They return back to eating in silence until Stiles’ phone vibrates on the table. He ignores it, turning his attention back to his food. It vibrates again and this time he looks up at his dad who’s looking back at Stiles as if to see what he’ll do; he ignores it again. Its when his phone vibrates a third time that his dad speaks.

“Just answer the phone Stiles. Someone obviously needs you.”

Stiles can hear the annoyance in his dad’s voice yet he picks up his phone anyway. He slides unlock and checks his messages. They’re all from Scott, _meet us at the south entrance of the preserve. Stiles hurry_. _Stiles where are you?_ Scott had mentioned something earlier at school about checking the preserve that night. He’d insisted it was nothing for Stiles to worry about, he’d obviously been wrong.

“Dad I-” Stiles pauses, his dad already knows what he’s going to say.

His dad sighs.

“I’m sorry. I- there’s this thing-”

“Yeah.” His dad’s response is curt.

“Look dad-”

His dad puts a hand up, stopping Stiles mid-sentence. “Stiles it’s fine. I’d rather you just didn’t say anything than tell me something we both know is a lie.”

“Dad-” Stiles tries.

“Stiles- just- just go.”

He dad pushes back from the table and starts hastily collecting up the plates. As Stiles turns to leave heading towards the door he hears the dishes clatter into the sink. He grabs his keys from the hall tugging on his jacket as he goes. Just as he pulls the front door open he looks back, stealing a glance at his dad who’s sitting back at the table hunched over with his head in his hands. Stiles hesitates for a moment before stepping out onto the porch and shutting the door behind him.

-

Stiles expects a million questions at dinner the next night but his dad hardly speaks to him other than to ask how his day has been, barely making eye contact with Stiles when he does.

-

Nearly two weeks go by with no new supernatural threats. The peace is shattered one Saturday night when Stiles gets an _SOS_ text from Kira telling him to meet the pack at Deaton’s. He checks the clock, 2:26am, thank goodness his dad is on nightshift.

When Stiles gets there, he follows a trail of blood from the front door through into the back where the pack are gathered around the metal table. They part when they see Stiles, revealing Scott’s bloodied body lying there.

“What happened?” Stiles asks the room.

“Something attacked Scott when he was leaving work,” Kira answers. “He’s going to fine Stiles, Deaton said he’s going to fine.”

Stiles feels her give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze and he looks around the room for Deaton for confirmation. A nod from him reassures Stiles.

“What was it?” Stiles asks. “That attacked him, what was it?”

“A Rugaru.” The answer comes from the corner of the room. The voice is familiar but Stiles can’t quite place it. He turns in the direction of the sound as a figure steps out of the shadows and when their eyes meet, Stiles forgets how to breathe for a moment. _Derek_.

Stiles hadn’t noticed him. In fairness he was the last person Stiles had expected to see here, not since he road off into the sunset with Braeden by his side and without so much as a goodbye.

“What?” Is all Stiles can get out.

“A Rugaru.” Derek responds. “It’s a gene passed down through families, they’re born and live as humans but eventually they change. It starts as an increased hunger but that quickly turns into a for craving for flesh, particularly human flesh.”

“Yeah, turns out Mr. Thompson is a flesh-eating cannibal. Who’d have guessed?” Kira muses.

Stiles finally tears his gaze away from Derek, looking around at the pack. “But you got him right? Please don’t tell me there’s a flesh hungry monster running around town.”

The silence says it all.

“Great.” Stiles shakes his head. “So what do we do now?”

“You all go home.” It’s Derek who answers. “It’s nearly sunrise and it’s not going to risk attacking anyone in the daylight. Scott’s fine and he’s going to be out of it for a couple more hours so you all should go home and sleep. There’s nothing anyone can do right now.”

There’s murmurs of goodbye as the pack starts to leave, Deaton heads out the front to clean up leaving Stiles and Derek alone. The silence between then is palpable. Stiles has so many things he wants to say, so many questions.

Derek is the one who speaks. “Go home Stiles.”

He takes one last look at Derek before turning toward the door. Stiles stops just before he leaves.

“So you’re back then?” Stiles asks, voice small.

“Yeah.” Derek breathes.

Stiles falters, searching for a response.

“Go home Stiles.”

So he does.

-

It’s all quiet over the next couple of days. Derek seems to think that the Rugaru has gone into hiding but it’ll reappear eventually so they all need to be ready. Of course its half-way through Wednesday night dinner that Stiles gets a text to tell him that’s it’s surfaced and the pack are going after it.

Stiles looks up from his phone at his dad whose eyes are fixed on the plate of food in front of him. Stiles hesitates.

“Dad I-”

His dad sighs standing up front the table. “You know what Stiles, I don’t care. I’m done.”

“What?”

“I’m done. Done with the lies. You’re involved in something and it’s making me sick thinking about what you get up to when you’re not home. I- I love you Stiles, you’re my son and I love but I’m done.”

“Dad please-” Stiles pleads.

His dad turns away from him to the sink. “Just go Stiles. I’ve got work in an hour, I can’t deal with this now.”

His dad’s voice sounds emotionless and Stiles knows that he’s gone one step to far this time. He sits there for a moment the guilt of hurting his dad washing over him. It’s when his phone buzzes again that he finally leaves.

-

Stiles meets up with the pack in the preserve where they’ve managed to corner the Rugaru. The thing is fast, and strong, and it gets in a few good shots – including a couple to Stiles’ face – before the pack manage to kill it with a Molotov cocktail. _Thank you Lydia_.

When the fight is over and all that’s left is the smouldering remains of Mr. Thompson, the pack head back to their cars. They all start to leave until it’s just Stiles, alone with his jeep. He takes in a deep breath, closing his eyes and lets himself slide down the side of the jeep to the floor.

“Stiles.”

It’s Derek. Stiles had thought he’d gone. He opens his eyes, looking up at Derek who is standing over him.

“Come on,” Derek says holding out a hand. “Let me drive you home.”

Stiles sighs and takes Derek out-stretched hand, letting himself be pulled up from the ground. Stiles usually doesn’t let anyone drive his jeep except him but he finds himself handing Derek his keys, walking to the other side of the jeep and climbing into the passenger seat.

-

The house is dark when they pull up outside. His dad normally leaves the porch light on for him but not tonight. Stiles doesn’t even notice that Derek has got out the jeep until the passenger door is being pulled open.

“Stiles.” Derek’s voice is soft.

Stiles get out the jeep, walking to the front door with Derek behind him. Stiles should tell him to leave, he doesn’t need him here he’s fine. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t want Derek to go.

“Is your dad home?” Derek asks as they go through the door.

“No, he’s on nights.”

They head upstairs and into Stiles’ room in silence. Stiles hears Derek sit on the bed while he flicks on the bedside lamp. Stiles turns to the mirror, checking his reflection. He’s got a cut on his lip and a scrape on his left cheek.

“I wonder how I’m going to explain this?” Stiles mumbles to himself tracing the outline of the mark on his cheek.

“Explain what?” Derek asks.

Stiles had forgotten Derek was even there. “Nothing. It’s just-” Stiles hesitates.

“What?”

“Just- This.” Stiles sighs, pointing at the marks on his face. “My dad he- You know my dad can barely even look at me anymore. All the lies, all the-” Stiles sits down heavily on the bed beside Derek. “I just- I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Stiles rests his head in hands, the silence in the room deafening.

“You should tell him,” Derek says.

Stiles lifts his head turning to face Derek. “Tell him what?”

“About what’s really going on.”

Stiles laughs. “Are you kidding, why would I do that?”

“You hate lying to him.” It’s a statement not a question.

“I can’t. If you he knew- If I told him- I can’t risk anything happening to him.”

“And this way is better? Keeping in the dark?” Derek presses. “You said he can barely look at you.”

Stiles groans standing up from the bed. “It’s not- It’s just better this way. This way keeps him safe. I can deal with him hating me if keeps him safe.”

Derek shakes his head. “Your dad doesn’t hate you Stiles, he’s worried about you. He doesn’t know what’s going on, he’s your dad he’ll automatically think the worst. That’s what parents do.”

“I can’t tell him, I can’t-” Stiles says, his voice cracking. He turns to face his desk, rests his hands there and lets his head fall forward.

“Stiles.”

Stiles hates the way Derek says his name, he says it like he cares. Stiles feels a strong hand on his shoulder. He hadn’t even heard Derek get up from the bed.

“Stiles. It- You need to tell him.”

Stiles stands upright abruptly turning to face Derek.

“I can’t!” Stiles exclaims, throwing his hands up. “What part of that don’t you understand? I can’t tell him, ok. I can’t.” Stiles can feel the tears burning the backs of his eyes. He turns back around; he doesn’t want Derek to see him like this. “Can you just go Please.”

He hears Derek leave the room and the front door close a few moments later. Stiles exhales heavily, turning to switch off the lamp before pulling off his clothes and falling into bed.

-

The next few weeks pass without any crisis. Stiles has barely spoken to his dad since that night, the atmosphere in the house tense. If only his relationship with his dad could heal as fast as the marks on his face.

Friday night he goes to Scott’s, a pizza and Call of Duty marathon is just what they both need. He heads home around eleven and when he pulls into the street Stiles sees his dad’s cruiser in the driveway, Stiles is sure his dad was working a nightshift. Stiles pulls up behind his dad’s car, turns off the engine and makes his way into the house.

Pulling the front door closed, Stiles can faintly hear his dad’s voice in the kitchen. There’s another voice too, they’re talking too quietly for Stiles to make out who it is or what they’re saying. When Stiles enters the kitchen he’s shocked to see the source of the other voice. It’s Derek. He’s sitting at the kitchen table with his dad, beer bottles in front of them. They both stop talking and look up at Stiles when he enters the room.

“Um, hi.” Stiles says, looking at them both in confusion. “What err- What’s going on?”

“Derek told me.” His dad says.

Stiles starts to panic. “Told you what?”

“About what’s really been going on. About where you’ve been going all those nights, about what’s out there.”

“How- Why would you do that?” Stiles cries looking at Derek. “I told you- I told you I didn’t want him to know. I said-”

“Stiles. It’s for the best.” Derek says calmly.

“No- It’s not- It’s-” Stiles finds it difficult to breathe.

His dad is in front of him before he knows it. “Kiddo, it’s ok.”

“No-”

“Stiles, it’s ok. Just breathe for me son.”

Stiles lets a few shaky breaths.

“I’m going to go,” he hears Derek say over his ragged breathing, leaving Stiles and his dad alone in the kitchen.

When Stiles’ breathing returns to normal his dad gets him a glass of water and they both sit down at the table facing each other.

“So, werewolves huh?”

Stiles snorts. “Yeah.” Stiles takes a drink of his water. “Dad- I’m sorry.”

“Stiles- I just wish you’d told me. Do you know what was going through my mind when I thought about what you were up to? I thought maybe you were in a gang, or hooked on drugs.”

“Really dad?”

“Well what was I supposed to think? You were out till all hours of the night. You’d come home with cuts and bruises. You should have just told me.”

Stiles shakes his head. “I couldn’t. I- I thought not telling you kept you safe. If you knew you’d want to help. I couldn’t risk you getting hurt.”

“But what about you? You think I want to see you get hurt? Stiles-” His dad’s voice cracks. “Stiles, you’re all I have.”

Stiles wipes his eyes. “Dad I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Stiles can’t stop the tears from coming. He covers his face with his hands and hears his dad get up. He crouches down beside Stiles’ chair, putting his arms around him and pulling him in. Stiles clings to his dad burying in face in his dad’s shoulder.

“It’s ok Stiles, it’s ok.”

When they pull back his dad’s eyes are tinged with red. They both wipe their eyes before his dad takes Stiles’ face in both his hands.

“No more secrets, ok,” his dad tells him.

Stiles nods. He dad leans forward kissing the top of his head then stands up, taking his place back at the table across from Stiles.

Stiles coughs, clearing his throat. “So how much did Derek tell you?”

“A lot. He’s a werewolf, so is Scott. He even showed me his face, you know, with the teeth and the disappearing eyebrows.”

Stiles laughs.

“Lydia’s a banshee, Kira’s something called a Kitsune, and Jackson was a- what was it again?”

“A Kanima.”

“Right, yeah a Kanima. It really does explain a lot, there’s been far too many unexplained occurrences in this town recently.”

Stiles is surprised how well his dad’s taking this.

“You know,” his dad continues. “You shouldn’t be mad at Derek. He did what he thought was best.”

“I told him-”

“Stiles, he’s worried about you.”

Stiles looks at his dad in disbelief. “Derek, worried about me? I highly doubt that.”

“He cares about you Stiles. He could see how much this was hurting you, he wanted to help.”

Stiles looks at his hands. His dad’s right, he shouldn’t be mad a Derek, Derek just did what he was too scared to do. It feels as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders now his dad knows.

“Look it’s late, go to bed we can talk about this some more tomorrow.” His dad says.

Stiles nods and stands up from the table. He pauses in the doorway turning back to face his dad. “Night dad. I- I love you.”

“I love you too son.”

-

Stiles and his dad spend a lot of time talking. His dad understandably has a lot of questions some of which Stiles can answer, some he can’t. Their relationship gets better and Stiles can’t begin to describe how good it feels not to have to lie to his dad anymore.

A few weeks later, Stiles finds himself at Derek’s door. He’s moved out of the loft, found himself a nice place on the east side of town.

“Stiles.” Derek says when opens the door. He doesn’t sound surprised to see Stiles, he sounds glad.  

“Um, hey. Can I- Can I come in?”

“Of course.”

Derek steps aside letting Stiles through the door. Stiles stops, lets Derek pass him and follows him into the living room. Stiles looks around the apartment. He always did like the loft but this place is definitely an improvement. There’s no gaping holes in the walls and it’s warm and homely. Too much death and destruction happened in the loft, he’s glad Derek got away from there.

“Nice place,” Stiles tells him.

“Yeah, I like it.”

“So I-” Stiles starts, turning to face Derek. “I wanted to apologise, for that night I-”

“No, I should be the one apologising Stiles. You said that you didn’t want your dad to know but I told him anyway.”

“You were trying to help; I know that now. I thought not telling him was best but,” Stiles sighs. “I was wrong. Just- Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Derek says, a small smile on his face.

Stiles wanders around the room, looking at the open plan kitchen to fill the awkward silence.

“So how are you are your dad? You two getting along better?” Derek asks.

“Yeah, we’ve been talking a lot you know, about supernatural-y stuff.”

“Yeah your dad said-”

Stiles turns to look at Derek his eyebrows drawn in confusion. “My dad said?”

“Err yeah- He err- He’s been by a few times. He had some questions.”

Stiles snorts. “My dad, he’s been by here a few times?”

Derek looks almost embarrassed. “Yeah.”

“What, are you too buddies now?”

Derek breathes loudly through his nose. “Stiles.”

“Alright sorry.” Stiles grins. “Thanks though, for you know- talking to him about all this stuff. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s no problem Stiles. I’m just glad you two are ok again. Family’s important, you should- you should keep them close.”

Stiles swallows hard. “Yeah.”

It’s then that Stiles realises why Derek did what he did. Derek lost everyone, he’s on his own in this world with barely any family to speak of. Stiles nearly pushed away the only family he’s got. Derek didn’t want Stiles to be alone like he is.

There’s a lump in Stiles’ throat, and he struggles to find the right words to say. “I should- I should go.”

Derek nods and follows Stiles towards the door. Stiles turns in the doorway to face Derek.

“I glad you know, that you’re back. I err- I missed you.” Stiles says looking Derek in the eye.

Derek looks away, a blush creeping in his cheeks. “Me too Stiles.” He looks back up meeting Stiles’ eye. “Me too.”

-

“So Derek said you stopped by.” His dad says a few days later, just as they’re sitting down to watch a baseball game on TV.

“What?” Stiles asks, curly fries hanging out of his mouth.

“Derek, he said you stopped by.”

“Erm- yeah. When err- when did you see Derek?”

“Earlier today, he popped into the station.”

His dad says it like it’s completely normal.

“Does he- does he do that a lot? Just pop into the station?”

“Sometimes, we had lunch last week. We’re going out for a beer on Friday.”

Stiles stops eating. He turns to his dad, a look a disbelief on his face.

“I’m- I- What? Are you two like friends now or something?”

“I guess. He’s a nice guy Stiles. He doesn’t really have anyone other than you kids.”

Stiles is at a loss for words. It’s not that he has a problem with his dad and Derek being friends, its just he never would have expected it.

“He’s very fond of you, you know.” His dad says a little while later.

“Who?” Stiles asks.

“Derek.”

Stiles tears his eyes away from the screen and looks at his dad, a smirk playing on his dad’s lips.

-

There’s a knock at the door one Friday night. His dad is on nightshift again and Stiles was just about to sit down to pizza and a Walking Dead marathon on Netflix. He huffs a sigh and gets up to answer the door. It’s Derek.

“Hey man. What’s up?” Stiles asks.

Derek holds up a toolbox. “I just came to give this back to your dad.”

“Oh, he’s on nightshift.”

“It’s fine,” Derek says. “I’ll just leave it here for him.”

Derek sets the toolbox down just inside the door. He looks Stiles up and down and it’s only then that Stiles realises he’s got on his Batman pyjamas and fleecy Spiderman socks.

“I’ll tell him you stopped by.” Stiles says awkwardly half hiding behind the door.

Derek nods before turning and heading back to his car.

“Derek wait,” Stiles calls, stepping out onto the porch. “I err- I’ve just got a pizza, far too much for me to eat and I’ve got a whole bunch of Walking Dead episodes queued up on Netflix. You um- You know if you’re not busy- You maybe wanna-”

Derek smiles. “Sure. Sounds likes fun.”

Stiles smiles back and Derek follows him back into the house. They settle on the couch and Stiles starts up the show while Derek takes a slice of pizza.

They’re about four episodes in before either them speak.

“So,” Stiles starts. “My dad err- he said that um-” He rubs the back of his neck, regretting ever speaking.

Derek turns to him. “What?”

“Nothing, it- it doesn’t matter.”

“Stiles.”

“He just- he said- he seems to think that you’re fond of me.” Stiles stutters out.

Derek’s eyebrows shoot up. “Fond?”

“Yeah, he-” When Stiles looks at him there's a smirk on Derek’s face. “Ok, you know what never mind. Let’s just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Stiles stands up, collecting up the empty pizza box and soda cans and scurrying into the kitchen. A few moments later he hears Derek come in the room.

“He’s right you know, your dad.” Derek says from behind him.

Stiles stops. “Right about what?”

He feels Derek move closer and when Stiles turns around, Derek is right in front of him.

“That I’m fond of you.”

Stiles looks up, his eyes meeting Derek’s. “Me too.”

Derek’s eyes flick to Stiles’ lips and back, Stiles eyes mimic the movement.

“Stiles.” Derek breathes.

Stiles swallows hard. “Derek I-”

Stiles doesn’t get to finished that thought. Derek’s lips are on his, soft and sweet. Stiles makes a noise, something between surprise and relief. When they brake apart they’re both panting slightly, eyes blown wide.

“Derek I- Please don’t leave again.”

Derek kisses him again, just as tender and sure as before.

“I won’t Stiles. I’d never leave you.”

And Stiles believes him.


End file.
